Mixed Emotions
by D-Channerz
Summary: *FINISHED! Finally!* Matt and Sora are in a relationship. Tai wants Sora, and Mimi's back in town. Sorry for the crappy summary.
1. Chapter 1

  
MIXED EMOTIONS

~*~

Notes: My first Digimon fic (so if you're going to review it, don't be too hard on me…). Yamato, Taichi, and Sora's POV. Romance, sap, angst… All that good stuff.

It's set after the world has been saved, yada, yada, yada… So, the original season one characters are older (how old? I don't know, I never kept up with it after the second season. @@ Around 18 or 19. Forgive me for any age mistakes!) Everyone else from the other seasons aren't in it because… well, just because. x_x That's excluding Takeru and Hikari of course.

This fic is also written in response to a "heated discussion" I had with a friend a few weeks back over the whole Yamora/Sorato controversy. In my opinion, I don't think Yamato and Sora match, but my friend thinks otherwise. Just to make me mad, she wrote a fic about Matt and Sora getting hitched, so I decided to write something to get back at her. ^-^;; I'm mean, I know, but I can't help it. It's either Yamachi or Taiora for me. So this story is mainly Taichi/Sora, and at some points there might be some Yamato/Mimi… And that's 'cause I don't want my poor Matt-sama to be all by himself. ^^; There's also a teeny bit of  Takeru/Hikari stuff. That's all. Hope you enjoy it. R&R would be lovely! 

P.S.: I don't own the Digi people. You all knew *that* was coming. ^_^ Forgive me for any OOCness of their characters… Have mercy! x_x

~*~

-------

YAMATO:

It was a rainy evening in May. I was sitting in my apartment, watching t.v. and drinking a can of coke. I was really tired after a day of nothing but running around helping my best friend Tai move into his new place. Ever since I had moved into my own apartment, he had scrimped and saved just so he move out from under his parent's roof and be independent like me. I asked him if he really wanted to actually go through with it. He said he knew how to take care of an apartment. 

The apartment itself wasn't what I was worried about. I wanted to know if he knew how to take care of himself.

But, I said nothing else and just let him do it. It was his life, not mine. He never listened to me anyway, and vice versa. How we became best friends though… That's a mystery that has yet to be solved. 

            I picked up the remote and changed the channel. My favorite show was over now, and after ten p.m., it was really hard to find anything good to watch. I flipped through the many stations, pausing once in a while to stare at a few commercials. I stopped randomly on the Home and Garden channel to rest my thumb. When I looked at the screen, there was some old lady kneeling in front of a large pond with various colorful flowers growing all around it. There was a big stone statue of a mermaid in the middle of the pond, and the woman was planting more flowers to form some type of pattern. 

            I yawned. I started to change the channel, but stopped for a moment. Somehow, watching it made me think, and this warm feeling washed over me.

            Sora liked this kind of thing. She loved gardening and flowers, which led her to buy her own flower shop after working at one for four years of her life. I wondered if she was even watching this right now.

             My thoughts hit a snag and I looked back at the t.v. I turned it off and just sat there with only the sound of the ceiling fan humming quietly, and the table lamp dimly lighting up the room and making my arm glow.

            What _was_ Sora doing right now? I hadn't met with her for lunch today like I usually did almost everyday because I was helping out Tai. I looked up at the cordless phone hanging on the wall across from me, next to the kitchen. I stood up and walked towards it. _Should I call? _I tried to think of what I would say.

'Hey babe, what's up? Are you watching the Home and Garden channel like I am?'

            That sounded stupid even to me. We'd been dating for almost a year now, and I still didn't know how to approach her. I had always thought she was so much more sophisticated than I was, but somehow she still liked me. It boggles the mind, I tell you. I had always thought she was cute too, almost everyone did. Especially Tai.

            Tai… Everyday I feel a twinge of guilt when I think of him and Sora. He'd liked her for a long time while the rest of us (Joe and Izzy included) were swooning over Mimi, but now Sora was with me. I never really knew if she liked him at one point, or if Tai had ever truly forgiven me. Then again, Tai told me today that he and Mimi had been having a long distance relationship through email and the phone for the past month. She was coming here on a vacation for two whole weeks tomorrow, and Tai had seemed almost excited about it. I figured that would make everything right, but it still sort of makes me kind of uneasy just thinking about it. I can never talk to him about problems that I have with Sora without feeling sick to my stomach. Yeah, me and him are buddy-buddy all the time, but sometimes I wonder what he really thinks of me and Sora's relationship. Another reason why I just don't understand how me and Tai are still friends at all.

            I continued to stare at the phone. I figured if I stood there any longer waiting she'd probably be in bed already. I sighed, picked up the phone off the hook, and dialed her number.

-------

SORA:

            I was staring out of my bedroom window, watching the rain fall when the phone rang. I almost neglected to answer it, my being so absorbed in watching the rain, but after the third ring I caved and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" I said plainly.

"Hey babe. What's up?"

I half smiled. "Hey Matt. Do you have any idea what time it is? Shouldn't you be in bed young man?" I teased.

"Ha hah. Very funny. What about you? What are you doing up?"

"Hey, you're the one who called me. I would be asleep right now if it weren't for you."

"Oh. Oops. I'm sorry."

He sounded really remorseful. I started to laugh, so I covered my mouth. "It's okay, I forgive you sweetie. What is it that you need?"

"Nothing really. Just checking on you. I missed you at lunch time. I would have been at the diner, but you know Tai is moving and all…"

"I know. He told me that last week, and you told me you were going to help yesterday."

"Oh yeah, now I remember. Well, I missed you anyway."

"I missed you too. Tell me about what you did." 

"What's there to tell? We moved furniture and stuff."

"Duh, I know that. How's Tai doing?"

"Fine. He made me move all the heavy stuff, the asshole."

"Yamato…"  
  
"Sorry. But anyway…"

He went on to talk about all the stuff they moved around, about Tai almost breaking his finger after Matt smashed it in an empty drawer on accident, and about how he had almost gotten into a fight with the guy driving the moving truck. I began twisting the phone cord around my finger, something I only did when I was thinking about something other than the phone conversation. It wasn't that I was bored or uninterested in what Matt was saying…

Okay, maybe I was. 

            But I still answered with an occasional 'aww', and 'mmhm' whenever he said something. It was sort of funny too. Usually I was the one who rambled on about nothing and talked Matt's ear off. Of course, ever since we'd become an item, Matt opened up a lot more. Most people would be surprised or maybe even absolutely shocked if they could see Matt talk like he does with me sometimes.  

"…So I said 'what is that supposed to mean?', and the guy said 'well, just what I said. You're too small to lift that big heavy couch.' I was ready to knock the shit- excuse me –out of him, but Tai managed to hold me back…"

"…"

"Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Is something wrong?"

I blinked. "No. Why would there be?"

"…You're bored with me, aren't you?"

"What? No, Matt. Go ahead, keep talking. I'm just a little bit tired, is all." 

There was silence on the other line. I sighed and tried to think of something to say. "Did you know Mimi's coming back tomorrow?" I said quietly.

"Yeah. Tai told me."

"She's coming to visit me tomorrow. Why don't you come over too?"

"Sure. I bet Mimi will invite Tai over."

I blinked again. "Not that I have anything against Tai coming over, but why?"

"They're seeing each other… Well, sort of. Via computer, anyway. Didn't you know?"

I swallowed and dropped the phone cord. "No, I didn't know. How long has this been going on?"

"A month or so. It shocked me a little bit too."

"…"

"Sora?"

"Yes?"  
  
"I'm going to let you go. You must really be tired. Sorry for keeping you up…"

"No, it's fine Matt, really."

"No. I know how crabby you get when you don't get enough sleep, and I wouldn't want you to be a mean hostess tomorrow if you have all of us over."

"Oh shut up. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Love you."

"…Love you too, Matt." I quickly hung up the phone and turned back to the window. 

            Tai and Mimi were together… I couldn't believe it. It just all seemed so utterly ridiculous. Just the mere concept of them dating at all made me dizzy. I got up out of the hard chair I was sitting on and collapsed on my bed. I turned on my side. 

Wait a minute… Why should I care? So they liked each other. That was their business. What they did was none of my concern, and as long they were happy, I was happy. Right? Right.

So why did I suddenly have this really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach?

I turned on the bed again and buried my face in my pillow. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

-------

TAICHI:

            When Mimi told me she was coming back to Japan, I was ecstatic. I absolutely couldn't wait to see her. She'd called me two nights ago to tell me when she'd be arriving, and I had to pick her up tomorrow. I was so excited then, and I still am… if not somewhat nervous. I've always been nervous around Mimi though, and unlike most of the guys she'd been around, I wasn't just afraid around her because of her looks. No, what made me nervous was that crafty little mind of hers. No matter how ditzy people say she is, I know better. I practically grew up with her, and the whole ordeal in the Digiworld brought us closer… as friends of course. She's really smart, a wonderful and caring person, and someone who's  always ready to help a friend in need.

            Which was why she as coming here. Last month I had told her I needed her help. I was scared, and even now the fear hasn't gone away. She told me not to worry, and since then she's been keeping in contact with me, asking about updates on how I'm feeling, and what's new. Finally, she told me that she would come and solve this little problem once and for all. And I trusted her to do just that. Like I said, Mimi is pretty sly, and she knows what to do in almost every situation.

Well… Love situations anyway.

            She was coming to help me, but of course, to everyone else she was just on vacation. I told Matt about it earlier while we were in the process of moving my things from my parent's house to my new apartment. I wanted to see his reaction. He didn't seem all that thrilled, but then again, you can never tell with Matt. Only Sora really knows what he feels… All the more reason I wanted Mimi here.

It was the morning after I moved. I was on my way to the airport. Kari was in the car with me. She was excited about seeing Mimi again too. I was surprised she could even tear herself away from Takeru though. They'd been acting like they were joined at the hip for a long time now, after admitting their feelings for each other. I was happy for them though. It had been such a long time ago since she'd been my little baby sister with her hair all messy, her high pitched little voice, her soft rosy cheeks. Now she was a young woman, and a really nice looking one at that.

"Tai, can I use your cell phone?" Kari's voice interrupted my thoughts. 

"What for?" I asked as he stopped at a stop light. She turned to smile at me innocently.

"I need to call T.K. I promised him I would, and you know I always keep my promises." 

  
"Right. And just what happened to _your_ cell phone?"

"It needs to be charged. Come on Tai, how many times have I let you use my phone? Please, I'll only be a minute!"

I looked at her seriously and she rolled her eyes. I smirked and reached over to pull it out of the glove compartment. I knew she'd probably be on the phone for much more than a minute, but that was fine. 

She snatched up the phone and quickly dialed a number. I watched her out of the corner of my eye. She sat there grinning, waiting for her boyfriend to pick up.

"Hello?" I heard T.K.'s voice dimly.

"Hi T.K.! See, I told you I'd call you!" Kari said. She was quiet, and I heard T.K. speaking softly.

"Oh, Tai's taking me with him to the airport to see Mimi. -- Yes, the very same. -- Well what other Mimi do you think I would be talking about? -- No. -- Davis? No. -- I know. You both are so silly. Why do you have to apply for the same job? -- Hehe. You know you love me. -- I miss you too. -- Yeah, if Tai will let me. -- Hah. Okay, I'll ask. -- Right. -- Love you too. -- Bye!"

Kari turned the phone off and handed it to me just as we pulled into the airport parking lot. 

"What was that about Davis?" I asked, taking my phone and shoving it back in the glove compartment. Kari shrugged at me as I parked at the closest spot near the doors. If I knew Mimi, she'd probably have a ton of bags with her.

"You know how Davis and T.K. both want that position at the hospital?"

"Yeah."

"Well, right now they're about ready to kill each other. They just had a huge argument, and T.K. needs comfort. You wouldn't mind taking me to his house after this… would you?" 

"Well… I don't know…" I muttered as we both got out of the car and headed for the terminal. 

"Please?" she whined. I rolled my eyes.

            Before I could reply, I heard a familiar voice call my name loudly amongst the crowded area. I turned around and I saw her. Mimi Tachikiwa. She was dressed in a glittery pink mini skirt with matching knee high boots, and a white halter top with a pink heart in the middle. Her hair was dyed blonde, pink feathers poking out here and there. I smirked. I expected nothing less.

"Tai! Long time no see!" Mimi said with a giggle, running over towards me and throwing her arms around my neck. I laughed and hugged her back.

"I'm glad you could make it." I said. She smiled sweetly and then looked over at Kari. 

"Oh my goodness! Kari, it's been so long since I last saw you! You've gotten so big!" she said, hugging my sister tightly.

"Sheesh Mimi, I'm 15." Kari said with a smile. She hugged her back, but then pulled away when a ringing sound came from under her jacket. I glared at her.

"I thought you said your phone needed charging!" I said.

"Oops. Well why should I use up all my minutes when I can use yours? Besides, I told you already… He needs comfort." she said simply, pulling out her phone and answering it. I grumbled, and Mimi laughed again. 

"Who needs comfort?" she asked me with a wink. 

"Takeru. Her boyfriend, of course."

"Hah! I knew it would happen eventually."

"Hell, everyone knew it would happen, Mimi."

Mimi grinned impishly, and pulled me to the side for a moment while Kari continued to have her phone conversation. 

"So what's been going on?" she asked quietly. I shrugged at her and looked down.

"Same old. They're still together."

"Well I figured that. Did you say anything to either one of them about me?"

"Um… I sorta lied about us being a couple…"

"What?!"

"What do you mean 'what'? You told me to do something to make them suspicious…"

"I didn't mean like that!"

"Sorry…"

"Ah, forget it. It's not that big of a deal. Actually, I think that might work better…"

"Really?"

"Yes. It's perfect, especially for today. I've already thought of a good plan…"

"Why is it perfect?"

"I'm going to visit Sora today."

            I stared at her incredulously and she nodded. "I thought about inviting you. I'm sure she won't mind. You guys are still friends anyway, right?" she asked. I nodded slowly and then checked my watch.

"What time were you planning on getting there?" I asked.

"About 6:30. It's late, I know. Sorry about that."

"That's all right. It's almost noon now though, and it'll probably take me a while to get from here to your hotel. Plus, you probably have so much to unpack..." 

"Hah. You're a regular comedian, Tai. Just let me get my bags first." And with that, Mimi turned around and picked up a large suitcase. I smiled. 

"Is that all you're taking?" I asked. "I'll help you with it if you want me to…"

"Oh Tai, don't be silly! I can handle it. But, it'd be really sweet of you to get my other ones."

I gulped. "Other ones? I knew it. Didn't I mention this just a few minutes ago?"

"Whatever. The other four are over there. You didn't expect me to just come with one suitcase for a two week stay, did you?" 

I shook my head and chuckled. Then I turned back around to look at Kari. She was still on the phone.

"Oh Takeru-kun… I promise. --Yes. -- You know I do…"

"Kari, can you come help me with Mimi's bags?" I asked, rolling my eyes. 

Kari turned to look at me with a glare before turning away to say something else into the phone. I heard something like a 'kiss' noise and a few more whispered words of endearment before she turned back around and placed her phone in her jacket pocket again. We both trudged over to the luggage carousel as Mimi stood there trying to hurry us along. The whole time I pondered over what Mimi had said. What was she going to do when we got to Sora's place? 

For some reason, I had a bad feeling, and I kept wondering just what in the world I had gotten myself into.

~~~~~~~~~~

TBC…

R&R please! ^_^ Hope you liked chapter one! Chapter two will be up soon!


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: Oy, this chapter might be a little sketchy, and it's somewhat shorter than the first. I sort of rushed through the beginning, but it sort of slows down towards the end. Anyway, thank you for the nice reviews so far. Glad you're enjoying it so far, and I hope you like this chapter! ^_^

-------

SORA:

            I straightened up the table in the living room, throwing excess papers and letters to the side and placing a nice blue vase with daisies in them in the middle. I stepped back to look at it and I smiled. 

Perfect.

            I had just spent three hours cleaning my house, checking in every nook and cranny for dust, straightening crooked picture frames on the wall, and wiping away every speck of dirt I saw. A lot of people call me a neat freak. I don't think I am, but if I know someone is coming over for any reason, I make sure my house doesn't look like a total pigsty.

            I sat down to rest for a moment, and I checked my watch. It's 5:49. Matt called today and said he was coming over at six. Great. Just enough time to think about this evening's schedule. When Matt got here, I would have him help me out with the snacks incase Mimi comes over with an appetite. And then… then… 

            I rubbed my temples and yawned. Conversation. Yes, start a conversation. Then offer to make dinner. Ask if she wants anything else… Wait, if I make dinner, how many places should I set? I held up my fingers. Matt, that was one… Mimi, that was two… And then there was Tai.

'Maybe I'll just let him chew on finger sandwiches…' I thought bitterly. But then, that would be rude. I blinked. I'll serve him dinner. It's not like I'm mad at him or anything…

Am I?

No, of course not. I have no reason to be. He's my friend. My friend who's now dating my other friend. 

It was now 5:55. I swallowed.

_My friend who's now dating my other friend._

A wave of nausea seemed to hit me, and I squeezed my eyes shut. Why did I care? Tai has every right in the world to go out with Mimi. That's their business if they want to spend every waking moment together. But this feeling though… Could it be… Jealousy?

            No. That was impossible. I've never been jealous before, and I wasn't planning on starting now. I've been close to it, but never actually to the point where I was in deep envy of someone else. Nah, I had to be mistaking this feeling with fatigue, of course. I've been working all day… Who wouldn't feel funny?

_My friend is dating my other friend. My friend Tai is in love with Mimi._

The doorbell rang and I practically fell off the couch. I stood up shakily and walked towards the door. I prayed it wasn't Mimi or Tai. I wasn't ready for them yet.

I didn't think I'd ever be ready.

-------

YAMATO:

  
            I was standing at the door, looking down at myself to see if I looked all right. I was wearing my not-quite-dressy khaki colored slacks, a loose fitting black silk shirt, and black loafers. I wasn't trying to be too fancy, but just enough to make me look good. I sniffed the air around me too. Was I wearing too much cologne? Dammit.

'Geez Matt, it's not like you're going to meet the bloody queen of England…'

But it sure as hell felt like it. I wanted to at least look decent when Mimi arrived. It'd been so long since I'd seen her… Not that I was excited or anything. No, I had to keep it cool. Mimi was a friend, nothing more. Sure, I had liked her at one point- maybe even loved her, but I'll never admit that to anyone –but that was then, and this is now. But I still wondered if she was still that same little vixen I'd known four years ago…

'Matt, you idiot. You've got a girlfriend already, so stop thinking about that. What, are you going to steal Tai's girl _again_?'

            I ran a hand through my hair and took a deep breath as I waited for Sora to answer the door. What was taking so long? I took another deep breath, and then I saw the door knob turn. I looked up from my shoes and stared at the girl in front of me.

Sora stared back at me. She looked like a wreck. Her usually neat and glossy red hair was all over the place, and she had small bags under her eyes. She also looked like she'd been working a lot today, and like something was bothering her.

"Hey babe. What's up?" I asked, trying to sound cheerful. She didn't reply and just yanked me into her house. 

She slammed the door and told me to sit down. I did so without question. I knew not to say anything when she was like this. I definitely shouldn't have kept her up last night… But then my curiosity won out.

"So, is Mimi here yet?" I asked innocently. She paced silently in front of me.

"No, not yet."

"Oh. Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I said no!" she snapped, and I jumped. Then I knew she wasn't kidding around. When she yelled liked that, something was most definitely _wrong_. 

"You're under a lot of tension. Come sit next to me." I said with a soft smile. I didn't want to force her. I had to make this as simple as possible.

"I'm fine. Really." she said, but she sat down next to me anyway.

 I turned her so that her back was facing me and I placed my hands carefully on her shoulders. I began massaging her neck and shoulders, feeling for any knots or tension points. She sighed in relief from in front of me and I grinned as I leaned forward to plant a light kiss on her neck. She shivered and moved away to turn around and face me. She smiled.

"Thanks Matt. I needed that."

"What, the massage or the kiss? I can give you more of the latter if you want…"

"No thanks, Romeo."

"Ah. Fine. So what was wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Are you worried about this whole visit thing?"

"…Yes. I guess I am." She frowned at me and looked down at the floor. "It's kind of silly, actually. I have no reason to be worried or anything." She bit her lip when she said this. I knew she was lying, about what she was really worried about though, I wasn't sure.

"Aren't you happy about seeing Mimi?" I asked.

"Of course."

"Then there should be no problem." I said, and I leaned forward to give her another kiss. She pulled back and looked at me hesitantly. I blinked. Then she scrunched up her nose. 

"Matt, are you wearing too much cologne?"

Before I could answer, the doorbell rang.

-------

SORA:

            I got up to answer the door. It was 6:05. Why was Mimi so early? I rubbed my eyes and opened the door. The sight that greeted me was enough to make me step back a few times and gather my bearings. 

            Mimi was standing there in loud orange capris and a white and orange tank top, her arms wound around Tai's neck, and Tai's arm firmly around her waist. Tai also had on a bright orange jersey and baggy, dark denim blue jeans. They were like twins. You couldn't miss them for miles. I thought I was going to be sick.

"Well, well, well. Look at you, Mimi. It's great to see you again." I said, putting on the best fake smile I could muster. She grinned back and launched herself at me.   
  


"Sora! It's been so long! Look at you! You live in your own house, you've got your own business, AND you've got a boyfriend!" she said excitedly.

I clenched my teeth. "Yeah. Why don't you come in? Matt's in there. It's the first room to your left." I said.

"Really? Sweet!" she said as she ran inside. I turned and looked at Tai. He smiled sheepishly at me. 

"Um, hi Sora." he said quietly. I fought the urge to slam the door in his face.

"Hi." I said dryly. Even as I said this, I wasn't sure what made me feel so angry at him. He hadn't done anything to me…

"Er… Can I come in?" he asked unsurely. I nodded and stepped to the side. He entered, and I almost slammed the door shut. He turned to look at me. 

"You look nice." he said with a soft smile.

I hated it when he smiled at me like that. It made me feel funny.

"Thanks." I said. Since when are blue jeans and a t-shirt 'nice'? Was he being sarcastic?

I wanted to ask him, but I changed my mind. Instead, we both headed for the living room. 

When we entered, Mimi was chattering happily with Matt, and he actually seemed to be enjoying it. Or maybe he was just enjoying the fact that she was all over him. She was clinging and hugging him like there was no tomorrow. Strangely enough, I didn't feel the least bit jealous. But then, maybe that was because I trusted Matt not to let her get too carried away… I think.

When Tai sat down on the couch too, Mimi practically crawled right into his lap and kept right on talking. I almost felt mortified. And then… I felt jealous. And it was so awkward! Tai didn't mean anything to me, yet I felt the need to be jealous. 

'Maybe it's because you never got the chance to be with him like that…'

I cursed my own traitorous thoughts. Suddenly, I was really thirsty.

"Um, I'm going to get drinks." I said, turning around and heading for the kitchen quickly.

"Need some help?" Mimi called from the living room.

"No!" I yelled back, trying to not to sound too mean. I just needed to be alone, even if only for a few moments. I wished it could have been longer though.

-------

TAICHI:

            Something was obviously wrong with Sora, but I couldn't be sure what. I wanted to get up and ask, but I didn't know if that would be part of Mimi's plan. She seemed completely oblivious, going on and on with Matt, telling him funny stories from America and such. It was amazing how much she got him to laugh and actually talk back within a matter of minutes. That only happens to me when I make him mad, and he only laughs when I tell him about my stupid mistakes because he actually thinks I _am_ stupid. But, it's all in good fun, so I never take offense. 

            I stared at the ground and decided not to include myself in their conversation as I tried to think of what could be wrong with Sora. It wasn't until I heard my name called did I look up.

"Tai? Something wrong?" Mimi asked me. I shook my head numbly in response. Matt was even looking at me with some concern. Then he looked away.

"Maybe Sora does need some help in the kitchen." He said. "It's taking her an awful long time to get those drinks."  
  


Mimi nodded enthusiastically and winked at me as Matt was still turned away.

"I think I'll go help her out." Matt said, starting to stand up.

"No!" Mimi cried, grabbing his arm and tugging him back down. She got out of my lap and then turned to smile at me. "Let Tai do it. I have so much more to tell you, Matt." 

Matt blinked in confusion, but nodded anyway. I half smiled and stood, walking out of the living room. 

'Thanks, Mimi.' I thought silently. Now I had two things on my mind. The first thing wasn't as important as the second, but still a concern.

Where the heck was her kitchen? 

------

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three! I think this is running along pretty well, don't you? I hope you all are enjoying this. I think it will be a couple more chapters before the end. Keep writing those nice reviews… Flattery will you get you everywhere. ^_^; Okay, enjoy chapter three! 

~ D-Chan

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YAMATO: 

            I watched Tai leave the room and I turned back to Mimi. She was looking at me sweetly, watching my face intently.

"Um…" I just sort of stared back at her. _Now what? _What was I supposed to say?

"So… Are you happy with Tai?" I asked. It was the first thing that came to mind, and to tell you the truth, it had been bugging me for a while now.

She smiled and shook her head. "No." she said.

"No?" I said in surprise, and all of a sudden, I felt relieved. Talk about weird.

"No. We're not even together."

"Oh- What?!"

"I said, we're not together."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. 

"So Tai lied to me? Damn him." 

Mimi started laughing and inched closer to me. "Well, it wasn't all a total lie. We at least _pretended_ to be a couple. But really, I have no interest in him. He's cute and all, but not really my type." She was looking dead at me, and I suddenly felt nervous.

"So, are you happy with Sora?" she asked.

I stared at her and bit my lip. In a way I was happy. Sora was someone to talk to, someone to confide my feelings in. She was practically the only person I could do it with, and she understood me in a way that no one, not even my best friend Tai would ever understand me. 

But then, in another way, I _wasn't_ happy. Sora was like a really close friend, but nothing more. We never really acted like a "normal" couple. Now don't get me wrong, I don't go for those typical stereotypes with couples being completely obsessed with each other, and making out 24/7. I really wasn't that type of guy. But Sora never liked to do _anything_. She worked all the time, and it was like we weren't even together except when we met at the diner and ate lunch together. 

"Well?" Mimi asked, her smile growing wider.

"Um… sort of…"

"That's not good enough, Matt. Yes or no?"

"Yes."

"So you're happy with her?"

"No."

"No?"

"I mean, yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"No, but-"

Mimi cut me off with a kiss. My eyes went wide, and my brain went into temporary shut down mode. 

Mimi was kissing me. I couldn't believe it. Part of me wanted to push her away, but the other part of me told me that this was something too good to let go of. Besides… I'd always wanted to feel Mimi in my arms, to taste her sweet lips… In the far reaches of my mind though, I knew that if Sora came back in here and saw us like this, she would kick my ass. 

But at the moment, I didn't care.

-------

TAICHI:

            When I finally managed to find the kitchen, I was greeted with the sight of Sora leaned over the sink, looking about ready to puke or something. I walked over and lightly placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Go away, Matt. I don't need help." She said groggily.

"Um, I'm not Matt." I said, and she jerked around to face me. 

"What do you want Tai?" she demanded. I could have sworn I saw a single tear streak on her cheek.

"I just came to see how you were doing." 

"Right, well I'm fine. Go away now."

"Sora, you're not fine. You've been crying, haven't you?"

"No! Just go… go away…"

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's bothering y-"

"Why do you care?!"

            I blinked and shut my mouth. I mulled over that statement for a moment. I had a perfectly legitimate reason for caring, but I wasn't sure she'd like the answer. …But I told her anyway.

"Because I love you." I said simply. 

            She stared at me, a look of shock on her face. I smiled weakly and reached up to brush a stray lock of red hair from her eyes. Her face relaxed for a split second before she batted my hand away.

"You love me? What happened a year ago then, Tai? Why didn't you tell me before? I'm not psychic, you know! Why did you wait so long to tell me this? Do you know how much you hurt me?" she asked me. I could hear the pent up anger in her voice, and I knew she'd been holding this back for a long, long time. She started to shake, and she gripped the kitchen counter behind her.

"Because I'm an idiot. I didn't realize then what a wonderful and beautiful person you are, and it took the reality of losing you to make me see how much I really needed you." I said wholeheartedly.

            I saw tears well up in her eyes, and she collapsed against me in sobs. I put my arms around her and hugged her close. This wasn't exactly what I'd expected, but it was still good. 

            After a long while, she looked up at me, and I kissed away the tears on her cheeks. I almost felt like crying myself, but I figured she had enough tears for the both of us. 

"I'm sorry Tai… I'm sorry…" she whispered vehemently, and I shook my head.

"Sorry for what?" I asked.

"I'm sorry for… for not giving you a chance. And I'm sorry because I know that it's too late for us to be together."

"Too late?"

"I have Matt now, and you have Mimi…"

            Her face seemed to crumple after she said Mimi's name, and something finally clicked.

"You thought I really loved Mimi?" I asked.

She looked at me as though I'd gone mad. "Well yeah, isn't that why you're going out with each other?"

So that was what this whole semi-depressed business was about.

"No, no Sora. I love you. Only you." I said as I hugged her again.

"B-But… You and Mimi…"

"We're not together."

She seemed to choke and she looked down for a moment.

"I won't ask why… But still Tai. We can't… Can't keep doing this. I never stopped loving you Tai… I swear I didn't. But you weren't there, and Matt came…"

"It's okay. I understand that part. I won't ask you to do anything you don't want to. I want you to be happy, Sora. That's all care about. Whatever you want to do, I'll back you up on it 100%."

"Really?"  
  


"Really."  
  


"Okay then… Tai. I know it's wrong to ask this, but I want… I want you to kiss me. Just this once."

            I looked at her seriously, and she nodded slowly. I smiled and leaned down slowly. Our lips met tentatively, her arms coming up to wrap themselves around my neck as my own snaked around her waist. It was absolute heaven. Even with the salt of her tears on her lips, she still tasted sweet. I never wanted this moment to end.

And then it did.

--------

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: No people, I'm not dead. ^_^;;; I'm terribly sorry for the delay, but my life's been really busy and I haven't had that much time, you know? Yeah, I'm sure a lot of authors say that, but I'm totally serious. Um, towards the end of this chapter, the style might seem a little bit different or rushed, and I'm sorry about that too. I haven't worked on this fic in a while, and it seems a bit dead. I'm kind of in a hurry to finish it now. ._.;;; *sigh* Writer's block is definitely another reason for the delay. Again, I apologize to those of you who are now about ready to come after me with pitchforks because of my very long absence. ^__^;;;; I'll try really hard to work on the ending, and I'll work on making it a GOOD ending. Please be patient with me, mmkay? ^^ Enjoy chapter four! 

--------------

-------

SORA:

            I broke away from him reluctantly, wishing that this one moment could have gone on forever, but that was impossible. I knew I would never forget it though. 

"Tai…" I breathed, and he leaned in to kiss me again. I started to kiss him back, but instead I pushed him back a little and laid a finger to his lips. "Once." I said with a small smile. He smiled back at me, and blushed cutely. I like it when he blushes like that. He looks so adorable.

"Sorry." He murmured, and I shook my head. 

"It's… okay. Let's go back now. I don't want to get Mimi or Matt worried."

"Right."

We left the kitchen, both of us walking fairly close, but I was determined not to brush up against him in any way. I didn't want him to see how much this was all affecting me, especially at such a fast pace. Only yesterday I had been thinking about Matt, thinking about how happy I was… or at least I _thought_ I was happy. I didn't know what to think now.

The sight that greeted me when we entered the living room made everything suddenly fly out the window. 

There was Mimi sitting on Matt's lap, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. And there was Matt… Enjoying it! I couldn't believe my eyes. Then I glanced at Tai. He had one eyebrow raised and was looking just as confused and shocked as I was.

I cleared my throat loudly, folding my arms. Mimi's head shot up and she stared at me for a moment before scrambling out of _my_ boyfriend's lap.

Matt looked at me, his mouth hanging open. He looked like a deer caught in headlights. My mouth twitched upwards at the thought, and I fought the urge to giggle. But no, I couldn't do that. It would make me look less intimidating.

"Well… Are you two done 'getting to know each other' all over again, or should we leave you alone again so you can finish?" I asked sarcastically, almost wanting to smile sadistically as they both just continued to stare at me.

But the sadist in me disappeared as the silence in the room grew almost unbearable. I sighed, shaking my head a few times. I waited for Matt's response, knowing exactly what he would say. He was just taking a little longer to let it out.

His mouth closed, then opened again, closed once more, and he prepared to speak.

One… two… three…

"Sora, I can explain everything. There's a good reason for this, I swear…"

I fought the urge to laugh again. For some reason this just seemed incredibly funny to me. It was fun watching him try to explain himself for cheating on me like that. And I had trusted him too. But then again, I had to admit that I felt a little guilty at the same time. After all, I had been in the kitchen kissing Tai only mere seconds ago.

"Um… I think I'd better get going. I promised I'd pick up Kari after this was done…" Tai said suddenly.

I blinked. He was leaving already? I suddenly felt the bottom drop out of my stomach. 

-----

YAMATO:

            Tai glanced at me one last time before leaving the room. I sat there, knowing that my face was bright red, and I was sweating buckets. I had never, ever, _ever_ felt so humiliated in my whole life. There had been bad times, but this seemed to take the cake. 

            Even though I knew Tai and Mimi weren't together, I felt like I had betrayed Tai all over again. And then knowing that I had cheated on Sora, right in her own home… I felt like such a scumbag. 

            And yet, at the same time, I couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. I have to admit, it had been _really_ nice. Was that normal? To feel bad for two timing your girlfriend, yet feeling utterly satisfied from your actions?

            I must really be a scumbag then. 

            "Sora, I'm really sorry about this…" Mimi said quietly from beside me, and I nodded in agreement, even though I knew it was futile. 

            "I'm sure." Sora said, pursing her lips as she stared at me. I wanted to sink between the couch cushions. She eyed us both for a few more seconds before walking out of the room and down the hall. I wondered where she was going. I thought grimly about her coming back with a butcher knife to hack us both to pieces. The thought made me smile slightly, and I shook my head.

            Sora was stern, but she wasn't crazy. At least… I hoped not.

            When she came back a few seconds later, she had Tai with her. I sighed. She wasn't going to make this easy on me. I wondered if she knew the truth about Tai and Mimi's "relationship".

            "Well? Are you going to explain yourselves?" Sora asked, folding her arms again and glaring at us both.

            I wasn't sure what to say. I thought for a split second that if I moved fast enough, I could jump out of the window, run home, and never show my face in public again.

            Of course that option was absurd, and there was no way I was going to jump from a five-story window.

…And yet, with Sora and Tai looking at me like that… It might have been a good idea anyway.

-----

TAICHI:

            Matt looked scared. I mean seriously scared. I felt a sense of triumph as I watched his expression, because it was how I _wanted_ him to feel. I wanted to watch him squirm under Sora's scrutiny, and I myself would just stand back and watch everything with irrepressible delight.

Sounds a little demented, doesn't it? Yeah, well… He deserves it. 

Mimi just sort of stared at me, and I thought maybe she didn't even know what was going on. I wasn't sure myself, although I had a feeling that this situation would turn out okay in the end. 

            "Well, are you going to explain, or not?" Sora asked, narrowing her eyes. 

            "It was all my fault. I forced him into it." Mimi said softly. "We were talking, and it just sort of… happened."

            "It just sort of happened?" Sora raised an eyebrow.

            "I swear it, Sora. I'm so, so sorry." Mimi stood up, and hung her head. "I'll be leaving now."

            "Um, yeah, I think I will too." Matt mumbled.  

            "Wait a sec."

            Everyone turned to look at me, and I shrunk back slightly. 

             _Come on, Tai… Work that crest of courage thing…_

            "You don't have to go, Matt… I mean… I can take Mimi home." I said slowly, pretending not to see the disheartened look on Sora's face. 

            "But Tai-" Mimi started. I ignored her.

            "Yeah, let's go Mimi."

            "But Tai…"

            "Let's _go_ Mimi. It'll be much easier, and I can get Kari along the way." I said, hoping I didn't sound too forceful. She looked at me, her expression bordering on anger, but she flipped her hair back and stepped proudly towards the door. I looked at Matt again. His eyes seemed glued to the floor. "Well, see you guys later." 

            I turned on my heel and followed Mimi out of the living room, willing myself not to look back. When we got outside, Mimi hopped into my car and slammed the door. I winced, not sure what to expect once we were alone on the road… But there was no way to avoid it. I got into the driver's seat and turned the car on. We were about half way down the street before I finally couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Mimi, I-"

"Tai, you are the biggest IDIOT in the world!"

            I blinked. "What?" Mimi glared at me and folded her arms before turning to look out the window.

            "You should have stayed with Sora, you dimwit!"

            While that may have been true, I still felt the need to defend myself. "How was I supposed to know! It's not like I can read your mind!"

            "_Common sense_, Tai. Why don't you try using it some time?!"

            I blinked again. Did she just insult me? Yeah, I'm not exactly a rocket scientist Izzy or something, but I at least have SOME common sense. Just where did she get off…

            "Well, what were you two doing in the kitchen? I noticed you were gone for a long time." Mimi's voice brought me out of my thoughts. I swallowed hard.

            "We… talked." I said simply, hoping I didn't sound too nervous. It was quiet in the car for a moment, and I stopped at a traffic light. I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for some kind of response. I wondered what she was thinking. 

            "You kissed her, didn't you?"

            What the hell?

            "What are you talking about?" I stammered. I looked at her and was surprised to see her grinning. Wasn't she mad at me just a few seconds ago?

            "Oh come on, don't play dumb. It's written all over your face!" she exclaimed, giggling. I merely stared at her, forgetting to pay attention to the light that had just turned green. I nearly slammed my foot on the accelerator after hearing the angry honks of the cars behind me.

            "Okay, fine! So I kissed her!"

            "Oh my gosh, I can't believe it! That's so funny!"

            "Funny?! What's so funny about it?!"

            She just laughed at me. My eye began to twitch. 

            "Sorry, sorry. I just find it so amusing that you were kissing Sora, and I was- and Matt- and you-" she burst out laughing again, and I raised a hand to rub my temples in annoyance. 

            I was nearly ready to jump for joy when I finally pulled up to T.K.'s house and saw Kari running down the walkway, her ever-loyal boyfriend in tow. Kari opened the back door and peeked her head in.

            "Hey Tai, T.K.'s coming over to study. I called mom already, and she said it was fine. Hope that's okay with you!" she bubbled, climbing in and motioning for T.K. to follow. Once everyone was situated, Mimi and T.K. exchanged jovial greetings, and then he and Kari began running their mouths at 60 miles an hour. I tuned them out. I couldn't wait to get them out of the car. Mimi just sat, still grinning like that cat who caught the canary, and I was completely confused.

            As I drove, I also wondered how Sora and Matt were doing. I hoped she hadn't killed him or something… I was definitely going to have to call her later on.

-----

TBC… (Eventually… T_T) 


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes: Heh, you were all waiting for this, so here it is. I don't think it's all that great, but tell me what you think, okay? 

---------

----

SORA:

            Soon after Tai and Mimi left, Matt practically tripped over his own feet to get out the front door. I wasn't surprised. He didn't want to be alone with his current _ex_-girlfriend any longer, and I didn't blame him. If I hadn't felt somewhat relieved and content, I probably would have killed him. And that, in a sense, was utterly perplexing. I didn't know how I felt about Matt anymore. I wasn't sure if I was mad at him, or if I wanted to cry about it. I didn't even know if I could ever look at him the same way as I did before, or if things would ever be normal between us.

            Funny thing is, everything had been perfectly normal until TODAY. It all happened so fast. To think that I had never stopped loving Tai, even when I told myself that I loved Matt, was strange and yet satisfying. At least now I wasn't in denial anymore. But would everything work out so easily? Could I really just start all over and try to create a closer relationship with Tai?

            The answers didn't come to me quickly like I wanted them to, so I figured I was just going to have to wait it out. 

            Later on that evening, I was sitting by the window, just like I had been only the night before. Things looked a lot different for some reason, and I wasn't sure why. Maybe I was just imagining things. And then, the phone rang. I rolled my eyes, hoping it was neither Matt nor Mimi. I was in no mood to reconcile, if that's what you would call it. 

            "Hello?" I said, my voice bitter. 

            "Hey, Sora." That voice. I suddenly felt my knees go weak and I grabbed the cordless phone off the wall as I went to go sit down in my chair again.

            "Hi, Tai." Much more softly this time. 

            "Is it okay if we… talk?"

            It took me a few minutes before I could process the question in my mind. I mumbled "yeah". 

            "So… Today was… weird." He sounded so nervous, like he had practiced this over and over again by himself, but now that he was saying it to me, he had forgotten his lines. I mumbled "yeah" again, not sure what else to say.

            "I just want to apologize. It was all my fault. Please forgive me. If I had known things were going to change so quickly, I never would have-"

            "It's not your fault, Tai."

            "But I… But you and Matt were so happy…"

            I sighed. "I thought that too, but apparently not."

            Tai was quiet for a few moments. I wondered what he was thinking, and I wished that whatever he had to say, he would just say it already so I wouldn't have to sit through this tortured silence.

            "Sora?" he finally said. I felt myself lean forward in my chair unconsciously.

            "Yes?"

            "Do you… Would you… You still like me, right?" He sounded so hopeless. I smiled faintly. 

            "Yes. And you like me, right?"

            I heard him cough apprehensively. "Yes, of course I do. I was just wondering…"

            "You want to start over."

            "Yeah, that's it! I mean…" I swear I could feel the heat of his blush through the phone. I tried not to laugh. 

            "Yes, Tai. I want to start over too."

            "Okay. Great."

            Then we were both quiet for another minute or two. So was that it? We were starting over, but starting over with what? I bit my lip. Was this really the way to go though? Perhaps we were moving too fast… Maybe we needed more time to think about this. What if after just one day, he decided he didn't like me anymore? Or what if _I_ decided I didn't like him any more? Was that possible? What if I-

            "Sora? If things change drastically between us, or if you feel like something needs to be different, you can tell me."

            I took a moment to mull over his statement. Before I could reply however, he continued. 

            "I… I love you Sora. I don't want that closeness we have to just disappear because we're rushing into something…"

            He paused. It was sort of strange hearing him talk like this. I didn't think he could be so… considerate and understanding. Don't get me wrong, Tai's a nice guy and all, but he's not really that eloquent, and he usually rushed into things without thinking. I had assumed that included relationships, so I never thought I'd hear him say things like this. It brought another smile to my face, and this time I did answer.

            "What do you want, Tai?"

            "I want whatever you want, Sora."

            "All right then. Can you meet me tomorrow for lunch? We can talk more then."

            "Sure."  
  


            "Oh, and Tai? If Matt calls and asks about us… Don't tell him right away, okay?"

            "Right."

            And all was right with the world.

-------

YAMATO:

            It's 9:30 at night, and I'm out taking a walk. It's too quiet at home. 

From here on, I'm making a pact with myself… I am now single. And as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to stay that way. Forever. Love is just too complicated and it feels like I've been kicked where the sun doesn't shine far too many times… 

And to think everything was fine the day before yesterday. When had everything gone so wrong? I wanted to blame myself, mostly because I felt like a complete moron for practically making out with Mimi RIGHT THERE in Sora's apartment. I mean, what kind of idiot would do that in his own girlfriend's home? No one with good sense would do that. I've been told many times that I don't have very much intelligence to begin with, so I guess that's just my own fault or something.

And yet, it's still bugging me. Because I liked it. I _liked_ it. To know that Mimi felt that way about me still sends chills up my spine, and I wonder if she knew that I used to feel the same… Or if she knew that I never stopped feeling that way.

But oh well. Here I am, alone. Again. That's just the story of my life. Everyone knows it already, and they all say, 'Oh hey, there goes Yamato Ishida. You know, the guy with the reputation for being a cold and cruel bastard… That's him'. And it's true. It's all true. I can't say that I've ever really and truly cared for _anyone_ except T.K., but if that was true, then what was this feeling I had for Sora? Was it a fluke? Just a phase?

I doubted that. I think it was more along the lines of friendship. A really close friendship. Hmph. Look how far that had gotten me. 

So what do I do now? Where do I go from here? Maybe love just isn't for me.

I stopped at the corner on my street. I heard someone calling my name. I ignored it the first time, resumed walking, and then I heard it again. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I refused to let myself believe that she would-

"Matt! Geez, wait up! Do you know how hard it is to run in platform shoes?!"

I came to a dead halt and turned slowly, my hands stuffed in my pockets. "Sorry Mimi."

She stopped running as she came closer to me and tried catching her breath. Then she brushed her hair from her face and smiled at me happily. "What are you doing out here this late at night?"

"I should be asking you the same question." I said, raising an eyebrow. She just shrugged at me and looked down, and I immediately knew her reason.

"I called your house before… Tai gave me your number. But you weren't there. So I thought maybe you went out or something…"

I nodded, and I offered her my arm. "Wanna walk with me then? You might need protection or something…" She laughed and took it. 

So we walked. I could feel her pressed up against me the whole time. I didn't know where we were going, but really I didn't care. All that mattered was that she was here with me, and I suddenly forgot everything I had been thinking about before. Weird how that always happens when she comes to mind.

"Today was weird, ne?" she said, glancing up at me. I shrugged and decided not to answer. She looked back down at the ground and sniffled a bit. "Matt, do you think that maybe… maybe…"

"Maybe what?" My voiced sounded strained.

"Maybe Tai and Sora were meant to be together all along? I mean… I remember a long time ago, when we were younger… We used to tease them all the time about liking each other, but we never thought…" she trailed off, and I looked at her expectantly. She still said nothing. I blinked and then looked away again. I wondered why things seemed so awkward between us at that moment.

"Matt?" she finally said. 

"Hm?"  
  


"Did you really like Sora?"

I swallowed hard. "Yeah, I did."

"A lot?"

"Yeah."

"But did you love her?"

I wasn't sure how to answer the question at first. It was just like before, but somehow I felt that if I gave the wrong answer, my whole life would be in shambles after this.

            "I think I did… Maybe not in the same way as I thought…"

            "Which means?"

            "You know what it means. Don't make me have to explain it." I said, feeling a little bit threatened. Was I on trial now?

            "You know… When I went to America the first time, I thought about you and everyone else a lot."

            I didn't respond. She was changing the subject, so I decided to keep my mouth shut. Mimi glanced at me for a second, and then began again.

            "It was sort of nice starting all over, and seeing new things. I made tons of new friends, and everything was going fine. But there was still something holding me back. Because I knew, deep down, that you guys would always be with me, no matter what, even if I was an ocean away."

            She stopped walking. I stopped too, and turned to face her completely as she looked up at me with glittering eyes.

            "When Tai called me and told me about you and Sora, I was really sort of angry at first. Angry that he hadn't done anything about you two, and angry that I wasn't there to do anything about it. I wasn't sure why I felt that way. All I've ever wanted for any of my friends was their happiness. I used to be so selfish… I still am, really. But when I thought of you two, it felt like there was something really wrong, and it had something to do with me not being there. And… I felt that I needed to see you again."

            I was thankful for the darkness surrounding us. I couldn't let her see me blushing at that.

"So that's why I came here. Tai and Sora were only part of the issue. Just knowing that I could see you again just made me so happy, and so that's why I had to come. I'm sure I probably ruined everything…" She laughed, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. I reached my hand out to wipe them away, and she smiled up at me.

"But I want you to know that… You've always been on my mind, Matt. And… and… I…I…"

I cut her off with a kiss. I didn't need to hear the words. And right then, I knew I felt the same. Even if this didn't work out and even if things felt like they were moving too fast, and even if I _was_ scared, I couldn't stop myself. She was here, and I was here, that was all that mattered. Everything could have melted away around us, and I wouldn't have noticed or even cared. The earlier vow I made to myself was immediately thrown out the proverbial window. 

And all was right with the world.

~Owari~

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Notes: Hah, it's finally finished! WOO! I'm incredibly proud of myself, even though I found the ending sort of disappointing. I hope no one was too upset by it. I tend to end all my stories rather abruptly like that. ^_^;;; Oh well. Please review, and thanks for reading! *v-sign*


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